Storage and retrieval of file-level changes on deduplication backup server

• US 10,387,378 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2015
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Druva Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Druva Technologies Pte Ltd (Druva Incorporated)
• Inventors: Singhal, Nikhil, Borate, Milind, Deshkar, Shekhar S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jensen
• Application Number:
  US14/791,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20160004717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1402 Saving, restoring, recovering or retrying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1453 using de-duplication of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1748 De-duplication implemented within the file system, e.g. based on file segments de-duplication techniques in storage systems for the management of data blocks G06F3/0641
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2228 Indexing structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/83 the solution involving signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles

Abstract

When a backup client sends a request to back up a file to a backup server, the file and an index (e.g., checksum, hash, encryption, etc.) of the file are stored on the backup server in an efficient deduplication storage. If a backup client sends a request to back up a modified version of a file already stored on a backup server, the modified portion of the file is stored. In addition, an index of the modified portion is generated and stored along with the modified portions on the backup server. The indices can be used to reconstruct the file or modified version of the file when retrieved. The efficient deduplication storage method ensures that multiple copies of files or portions of files do not exist on the servers.

Claims

1. A method for deduplication storage in one or more cloud backup servers, the method comprising:

receiving a first backup file through a first backup request from a first client device of a first client;

generating a first index of the first backup file;

storing the first index in a first client profile associated with the first client;

storing the first backup file uploaded by the first client in the one of the cloud backup servers;

receiving an additional backup file from a second client device of a second client, the additional backup file comprising the first backup file and a second backup file;

generating a second index of the second backup file and an additional index of the additional backup file, the additional index being a checksum of the entire additional backup file;

storing, responsive to the additional backup file comprising the first backup file, only the second backup file in one of the cloud backup servers; and

storing the first index, the second index, and the additional index in a second client profile associated with the second client, the first backup file uploaded by the first client accessible by the second client.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the second backup file has previously been stored on the one or more backup servers based on the generated second index; and

wherein, storing the second backup file in one of the cloud backup servers comprises, responsive to determining the second backup file has not previously been stored on the one or more backup servers, sending the second backup file and the generated second index to a second location on a server of the one or more backup servers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated first index is one of a checksum or a hash.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated second index is one of a checksum or a hash.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the first backup file through the first backup request, determining whether the first backup file has previously been stored based on the first index generated.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the second backup file in the one of the cloud backup servers comprises storing the second backup file at a location of the one of the cloud backup servers along with the second index.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising associating, in an index store, the second index with a location data of the location that stores the second backup file.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to retrieve the additional backup file;

accessing the second client profile to locate the additional index;

determining that the additional index is associated with the first index and the second index; and

retrieving the first backup file and the second backup file based on the first index and the second index.

5. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one the processor to:

receive a first backup file through a first backup request from a first client device of a first client;

generate a first index of the first backup file;

store the first index in a first client profile associated with the first client;

store the first backup file uploaded by the first client in one of the cloud backup servers;

receive an additional backup file from a second client device of a second client, the additional backup file comprising the first backup file and a second backup file;

generate a second index of the second backup file and an additional index of the additional backup file, the additional index being a checksum of the entire additional backup file;

store, responsive to the additional backup file comprising the first backup file, only the second backup file in the one of the cloud backup servers; and

store the first index, the second index, and the additional index in a second client profile associated with the second client, the first backup file uploaded by the first client accessible by the second client.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 5, further comprising instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to:

determine whether the second backup file has previously been stored on the one or more backup servers based on the generated second index; and

wherein the instruction that causes the at least one processor to store the second backup file in the one of the cloud backup servers comprises an instruction to cause the at least one processor to transmit, responsive to determining the second backup file has not previously been stored on the one or more backup servers, the second backup file and the generated second index to a second location on a server of the one or more backup servers.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 5, further comprising instructions that when executed cause the processor to:

responsive to receiving the first backup file through the first backup request, determine whether the first backup file has previously been stored based on the first index generated.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the instruction to cause the at least one processor to store the second backup file in the one of the cloud backup servers comprises an instruction that when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to store the second backup file at a location of the one of the cloud backup servers along with the second index.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to associate, in an index store, the second index with a location data of the location that stores the second backup file.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 5, further comprising instructions that when executed cause at least one the processor to:

receive a request to retrieve the additional backup file;

access the second client profile to locate the additional index;

determine that the additional index is associated with the first index and the second index; and

retrieve the first backup file and the second backup file based on the first index and the second index.

15. A system comprising:

one or more cloud backup servers configured to store data; and

a backup manager configured to;

receive a first backup file through a first backup request from a first client device of a first client;

generate a first index of the first backup file;

store the first index in a first client profile associated with the first client;

store the first backup file uploaded by the first client the one of the cloud backup servers;

receive an additional backup file from a second client device of a second client, the additional backup file comprising the first backup file and a second backup file;

generate a second index of the second backup file and an additional index of the additional backup file, the additional index being a checksum of the entire additional backup file;

store, responsive to the additional backup file comprising the first backup file, only the second backup file in the one of the cloud backup servers; and

store the first index, the second index, and the additional index in a second client profile associated with the second client, the first backup file uploaded by the first client accessible by the second client.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the generated first index is one of a checksum or a hash.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the generated second index is one of a checksum or a hash.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein storing the second backup file in one of the cloud backup servers further comprises storing the second backup file at a location of the one or more cloud backup servers along with the second index.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the backup manager is further configured to associated, in an index store, the second index with a location data of the location that stores the second backup file.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the backup manager is further configured to:

receive a request to retrieve the additional backup file;

access the second client profile to locate the additional index;

determine that the additional index is associated with the first index and the second index; and

retrieve the first backup file and the second backup file based on the first index and the second index.